CM Punk Vs Ryback - Streak Vs Streak

Sam Pierce / October 22, 2012 - 3:01pm

Everyone seems to be talking about the WWE Championship match at Hell in a Cell, this coming Sunday, on pay per view. It will showcase CM Punk defending his title against Ryback and man, has it been raising a lot of questions and concerns amongst the fans. While it’s not the most popular streak in WWE (I think we all know who I’m talking about), Ryback’s un-defeated run has not gone unnoticed and has dramatically picked up over the past couple months. What started out as a typical series of handicap squash matches against two skinny dudes who loved poetry has turned into a storyline that has many fans, including me, chanting "feed me more!"

For those that don’t know, the original plan wasn’t for Ryback to be in that number one contender’s spot. It was supposed to be Cena in a rematch from last month’s Night of Champions main event but Cena got injured. Since officials didn’t know if Cena would be ready to compete by Hell in a Cell, they waited as long as they possibly could to announce who the no. 1 contender would be. We were two weeks away from a major pay per view and, for promotional purposes, WWE couldn’t wait any longer. Cena, you’re out, Ryback, you’re in. My jaw dropped. Actually.

One could call this a streak vs. streak match. CM Punk has held the WWE Championship since November of last year, one of the longest title reigns in recent history. Ryback has been undefeated since his debut with his new character in April 2012. How can they end this match without controversy? I know what you’re thinking. Disqualification? No can do, amigo. This match will take place inside Hell in a Cell where anything goes and there are no disqualifications.

When I think of undefeated streaks in wrestling, the first name that comes to my mind is Goldberg. And according to the infamous crowd chants whenever Ryback is on WWE TV, it’s apparent that I’m not alone. Ryback is a modern attempt at creating a Goldberg character. At first, I didn’t think it would work. Slowly but surely, however, the fans, including me, were getting more and more into it. Ryback moved on from defeating no names to mid carders like Dolph Ziggler and the Miz. Will he ever be on the same level as Goldberg? That’s not even a question. Wrestling as a whole isn’t on the same level as it was when Goldberg’s streak was in it’s prime. If you still don’t know what Im getting at, it’s a no. But can Ryback elevate himself to become a top name in the company? Without a doubt, he can.

Realistically speaking, should Ryback be getting a WWE Championship match this early? Absolutely not. In fact, if this match with Punk isn’t done right, it could very well ruin his character and future popularity. The question has been asked, who’s streak is more important? Punk’s or Ryback’s? I’m probably going to get hell for this one... Ryback should defeat CM Punk for the WWE Championship this Sunday at Hell in a Cell and end his near year long title reign. Yes, it’ll piss off the internet crowd. But guess what, those guys will always come back because let’s face it, they’re addicted and so am I. Ryback has been getting major pop and the "feed me more" chant has been getting the live crowd on their feet. He’s selling T shirts and is an incredibly marketable character. Punk will be at the top, no matter what, but there’s a lot more on the line for Ryback and a hard-fought victory here will likely launch him into superstardom.